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TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
It feels awfully like the bitcoin of aircraft design -- lots of time, energy, and computation power used but only a digital product to show for it and they expect people to take it seriously.
The concept is to start the base work nail the design and commission building for a set but limited number of aircraft for a short lifespan well the second iteration is starting work. In this manner they hope to establish a force of aircraft types each being an improved version of the last. Potentially having types tailored to specific regions and missions. Because this is basically all new and the established timeline isn’t to have full fielding until the latter half of the decade early next decade. This differs from F35 or F22. Where the X plane was built and demonstrated then redesigned virtually completely different aircraft were built and progressively systematically changed from non mission coded to combat ready.
They seem now to be cycling black demonstrators behind the scenes. The show aspect is the thing.

Keep in mind the amount of money being spent on Bitcoin mining in right now. People take that seriously. This isn’t like an Iranian stealth model. Where they have a glider that will never ever fly but will slap it all over any media they can.
The USAF is well known to be flying stuff never seen in the public and at best only rumored in the back hallways of foreign intelligence agencies. It developed and built the F117 fleet reached IOC and kept it in the blackest black for half a decade more. Operated Stealth drones and helicopters only revealed by accident. Even maintained and procured its own squadrons of foreign built aircraft types sourced from adversaries for a full decade.
 

BoraTas

Captain
Registered Member

A new rendering of the B-21, which is white this time!

A higher-resolution one can be found
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. As well as a factsheet
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.
Nice.
C-3, EW and ISR capabilities can be considered confirmed at this point. Considering that it will definitely have a radar with very potent ground surveillance capability, and C-3 functions, it can act as a land AWACS (like E-8). Acting as a drone control hub is possible too. Though they say the aircraft is only manned by two people so this may not be possible. The EW part is confusing. An aircraft emitting signals is not stealthy and a dedicated EW aircraft has a lot of specialized receivers and emitters. This capability is very likely to decrease the payload or range.
 

SlothmanAllen

Junior Member
Registered Member
Nice.
C-3, EW and ISR capabilities can be considered confirmed at this point. Considering that it will definitely have a radar with very potent ground surveillance capability, and C-3 functions, it can act as a land AWACS (like E-8). Acting as a drone control hub is possible too. Though they say the aircraft is only manned by two people so this may not be possible. The EW part is confusing. An aircraft emitting signals is not stealthy and a dedicated EW aircraft has a lot of specialized receivers and emitters. This capability is very likely to decrease the payload or range.

I think the more likely scenario is that it works alongside the RQ-180 and maybe another unknown unmanned platform for Strike, ISR and EW. They specifically say, "Raider will be a component of a larger family of systems for conventional Long Range Strike, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, electronic attack, communication and other capabilities." which tells me it will work in conjunction with other as of yet unannounced or unknown platforms.

EDIT: Maybe you have an RQ-180 and an EQ-180 (or whatever the proper identifier would be) to alongside the B-21?
 

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Apparently all of this took place during an even called Edge 21, of which you can find a video below that shows the above mentioned system along with many other loitering munitions.


I have a feeling that loitering munition will replace traditional ATGMs in the future. You basically get the same payload in the same package but far greater loitering time, range, and potentially the ability to swarm. Best of all, you can recover the munition if you fail to engage the target.
 
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